Mahavogga 2.12
Tipitaka >> Vinaya Pitaka >> Mahavagga >> Second Khandaka >> 2.12 Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg ---- THE MAHAVAGGA SECOND KHANDHAKA (THE UPOSATHA CEREMONY, AND THE PATIMOKKHA) Chapter-12 : Abolishing a Boundary and Redetermination. 1. At that time the reverend Maha Kassapa, when going to the Uposatha from Andhakavinda to Rajagaha, and crossing a river on his way, was nearly being carried away (by the river); and his robes got wet. The Bhikkhus said to the reverend Maha Kassapa: 'How have your robes got wet, friend?' (He replied): 'As I was going, friends, to the Uposatha from Andhakavinda to Rajagaha, and crossing a river on my way, I was nearly being carried away (by the river); thus my robes have become wet.' They told this thing to the Lord Buddha. 'Let the Sangha, O Bhikkhus(Monks), confer on the boundary which it has determined for common residence and for communion of Uposatha, the character of tikivarena avippavasa. 2. 'And you ought, O Bhikkhus(Monks), to confer on it this character in this way: Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following natti(motion) before the Sangha: "Let the Sangha, reverend Sirs, hear me. If the Sangha is ready, let the Sangha confer on the boundary which the Sangha has determined for common residence and for communion of Uposatha. the character of tikivarena avippavasa. 'This is the natti. Let the Sangha (&c., as above). Thus I understand."' 3. At that time the Bhikkhus(Monks), considering that the Lord Buddha had ordained the conferring of the character of tikivarena avippavasa (on the boundaries), deposited their robes in a house. Those robes were lost, burnt, or eaten by rats; the Bhikkhus were badly dressed and had coarse robes. (Other) Bhikkhus said: 'How comes it that you are badly dressed, friends, and that you have coarse robes?' (They replied): 'Considering, friends, that the Lord Buddha had ordained the conferring (on the boundaries) of the character of tikivarena avippavasa, we deposited our robes in a house; the robes have been lost, burnt, or eaten by rats; therefore we are badly dressed and have coarse robes.' They told this thing to the Lord Buddha. 'Let the Sangha, O Bhikkhus(Monks), confer on the boundary which it has determined for common residence and for communion of Uposatha, the character of tikivarena avippavasa, excepting villages and the neighbourhood of villages. 4. 'And you ought, O Bhikkhus(Monks), to confer on it this character in this way, &c. 5. 'Let him who determines a boundary, O Bhikkhus(Monks), first determine the boundary for common residence and for communion of Uposatha, and afterwards decree about the tikivarena avippavasa. Let him who abolishes a boundary, O Bhikkhus(Monks), first abolish the decree about the tikivarena avippavasa, and afterwards abolish the boundary for common residence and for communion of Uposatha. 'And you ought, O Bhikkhus(Monks), to abolish the tikivarena avippavasa in this way: Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following natti before the Sangha: "Let the Sangha, reverend Sirs, hear me. If the Sangha is ready, let the Sangha abolish the tikivarena avippavasa, which the Sangha has decreed. This is the natti(motion). Let the Sangha, &c." 6. 'And you ought, O Bhikkhus(Monks), to abolish the boundary in this way: Let a learned, competent Bhikkhu proclaim the following natti(motion) before the Sangha: "Let the Sangha, reverend Sirs, hear me. If the Sangha is ready, let the Sangha abolish the boundary for common residence and for communion of Uposatha which it has determined. This is the natti. Let the Sangha, &c." 7. 'If there is no boundary determined nor fixed, O Bhikkhus(Monks), the village boundary of that village, or the nigama boundary ofthat nigama (market town) near which village or nigama (a Bhikkhu) dwells, is to be considered as boundary for common residence and for the communion of Uposatha. If (he lives), O Bhikkhus(Monks), in a forest where no villages are, community of residence and Uposatha extends to a distance of seven abbhantaras all around. A river, O Bhikkhus(Monks), cannot be a boundary, a sea cannot be a boundary, a natural lake cannot be a boundary. In a river, O Bhikkhus(Monks), or in a sea, or in a natural lake, community of residence and Uposatha extends as far as an average man can spread water all around.'